4 Reasons You Haven't Gotten a Response to Your Email

So, you sent an email. You expect a prompt response. Then, you wait. And wait. And it starts to feel like dating, where you rethink all of your last interactions and wonder whether you said or did something wrong.

Two points are clear: Email takes up a ton of our time, and our attention spans are very short.

So, if the time we have to look at emails isn’t long, an email itself shouldn’t be either. If you look back at your email and see five paragraphs when you could have written five really clear sentences and questions instead, it’s time to bring out the chainsaw. Can’t get your message across in a few lines? Try calling that client or stopping by your co-worker’s desk instead. Then, send an email to recap what you just discussed.

2. Your Request Was Unclear

I admit that I’ve used email like a stream of consciousness poem, writing a lot of words to get thoughts out of my head and make sense of them at the same time. Those emails were terrible! When I reread them, it’s clear that I said so much to hide the fact that I didn’t really know what I was thinking or asking for. If I don’t know what I need, how can I expect someone to know how to help me?

3. It’s Not You, It’s Them

Unfortunately, even the best-crafted emails and polite phone calls get ignored. Don’t take it personally. Remember that your recipients are human—imperfect with deadlines, juggling work-life balances, needing to please bosses and customers, maybe even planning to leave that job.

If you’re waiting to hear from a client, talk to an account manager or research what’s happening in the surrounding industry (financial crisis, anyone?). If you’ve not gotten a response from a co-worker on a critical item and chatting in-person hasn’t worked, speak to your manager about it. For everyone else, follow Elliott Bell’s tips for being politely persistent.

4. ...Or Maybe it Is You

Still, don’t take it personally. You can’t force someone to get back to you, and you certainly can’t make someone like you if your personalities just don’t mix. However, you can check yourself on certain behavior and develop traits that get people to respect you. When you’re respected, you’re seen as having leadership potential—and leaders are rarely ignored.

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Consider Adrian that friend who gives you advice on getting ahead at work. Having thrived in startup and Fortune 500 corporate environments, he knows what it takes to get the job done and be indispensable to your team. He currently manages mentorship programs at The New York Times and is an alum of Yale University and The New School. Say hi on LinkedIn or book a one-on-one coaching session on The Muse's Coach Connect.